Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
General material designation
- Textual record
- Graphic material
Parallel title
Other title information
Title statements of responsibility
Title notes
Level of description
Repository
Reference code
Edition area
Edition statement
Edition statement of responsibility
Class of material specific details area
Statement of scale (cartographic)
Statement of projection (cartographic)
Statement of coordinates (cartographic)
Statement of scale (architectural)
Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
-
ca. 1890 - 1980s (Creation)
- Creator
- John Gruszka
- Place
- Woodstock
Physical description area
Physical description
less than 1 cm of textual records
4 photographs
20 stamps
1 souvenir postcard booklet
11 scrapbooks
Publisher's series area
Title proper of publisher's series
Parallel titles of publisher's series
Other title information of publisher's series
Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series
Numbering within publisher's series
Note on publisher's series
Archival description area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Born in Poland on July 16, 1926, John Zdzislaw Gruszka enlisted with the Polish Army on September 13, 1944. A member of the Polish Signal Corp., he was discharged on June 20, 1947; and then emigrated to Canada, where he settled in Woodstock, Ontario. In the 1950s he worked at La France Textiles before accepting a job as an attendant at the Ontario Hospital; a position that he held until retirement.
A local history enthusiast, he was an avid collector of local history items, especially those pertaining to Woodstock’s industrial and built heritage. In addition, for many years he took photographs of buildings and locations within Woodstock, Ontario. Gruszka was also a long-time member of the Oxford Philatelic Society (stamp collectors), and the Oxford Historical Society.
John Gruskza passed away on December 27, 2022, in his 97th year, at Lakeridge Health Oshawa and was interned in the Oxford Memorial Park Cemetery; alongside his wife Mary Gruszka nee Pfarr (10 December 1928-26 December 2013).
Custodial history
The material in this fonds was created, collected, and compiled by John Gruszka, while living in Woodstock, Ontario. The collection was donated to the Oxford County Archives by John Gruszka on July 25, 2019.
John Gruskza donated his Scrapbook collection to the Oxford Historical Society prior to 2019. In 2022, the Oxford County Archives received the records upon the closing of the Society’s Resource Centre.
Scope and content
The fonds consists of records related to local businesses, schools, churches, and built heritage in Woodstock, Ontario, as well as materials related to other communities within Oxford County. It is arranged into the following series and subseries:
Series 1: Photographs & Postcards
Sub-series A: Postcards
Sub-series B: Souvenir Postcard Booklet
Series 2: Businesses
Sub-series A: Woodstock
Sub-series B: Ingersoll
Series 3: Ephemera
Series 4: Stamp Collection
Series 5: Scrapbooks
Notes area
Physical condition
The materials in this collection are in very good condition with little to no damage.
Immediate source of acquisition
John Gruszka donated most of the material to the Oxford County Archives on July 25, 2019. Upon the closure of the Oxford Historical Society’s Resource Centre at the end of 2021, the scrapbooks were transferred to the Oxford County Archives.
Arrangement
Language of material
- Canadian English
Script of material
Location of originals
Availability of other formats
Restrictions on access
The fonds is open to publish research. However, please contact the archivist responsible for the records regarding access, as some materials may be too fragile to handle. The Archives will make every effort to supply reference copies where feasible.
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Copyright is held by the archives. Researchers are responsible for observing copyright regulations that may apply to the publication of their research. If you wish to publish any of this material, please contact the archivist responsible for the records.
The Archivist has the right to restrict reproduction if the material is in a fragile condition.
Finding aids
An item level description is available for researchers. Please contact Archives Staff for more information
Associated materials
COA33 Ingersoll Miscellaneous fonds
COA72 Woodstock Museum collection
Accruals
Further accruals are unlikely.
General note
Mr. Gruszka also donated digital copies of his extensive Oxford County postcard collection to the Oxford Historical Society. These digital records were transferred to the Oxford County Archives in 2021.
John Gruszka’s Scrapbooks were formerly located in Oxford Historical Society Box No. 598.
Alternative identifier(s)
Standard number
Standard number
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Grafton & Company Limited (Subject)
- Shedden Furniture Company (Subject)
- Karn Organ & Piano Company (Subject)